Spiritual Exercises: Fasting

Tuesday Word Feast

Hearing God made easy is a series on Intimacy with God, to help us build our relationship with God in such a way that we will not be disconnected or disjointed. The emphasis throughout this series is on knowing him. when we know him it is not difficult to hear his voice. Jesus said my sheep hear me and they follow me. Hearing God is not a problem when we know him. It’s important not to just emphasize the miraculous or the prophetic because it doesn’t establish people. Following Christ is more than prophesy or gifts that’s why Jesus told us to seek first his kingdom and all these things would be added unto us.

We are the generation that seeks God, and at  the end of this series our journey in faith will gain strength. We will be empowered to do what it takes to walk with God consistently.

What is Fasting ?

There has been a lot of confusion on the relevance of fasting in our day and age. We will look at the reasons, ways and the benefits of fasting. There is a limitation on your life of faith if you don’t engage fasting in your walk with God. Fasting has both spiritual and physical benefits.

“And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” — ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Anna’s constant service to God was fasting and prayer. There is no scripture that tells us that she was required to do it, but the burden of the coming Messiah prompted her to do it. Simeon and Anna committed themselves to seeking God because of the prophecies about the coming Messiah. This is an example of people who took on personal fasts as a result of personal conviction.

The scripture is filled with a lot of examples of corporate fasts. A congregational fast is biblical, spiritual and God honours it.

“And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.” — ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭7:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It’s important to understand how to fast , when to fast and why we fast because we can’t bribe God with fasting. In Jeremiah the Israelites were walking in rebellion and they thought they could change the heart of God regardless of their rebellion by fasting. God said he wouldn’t hear their cry or listen to them.

“When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.” — ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭14:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” — ‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is an example of a corporate fast where people gathered together, ministered to the Lord and fasted together. They were ministering and fasting because of the burden they had for the needs of the world . When we become aware of social ills around us, our response should be to seek the face of God in prayer and fasting and insist that the will of God should manifest all around us.

The other reason we fast is when we are inspired by the Holy Spirit to fast. The bible says the flesh wars against the spirit, anything that the Holy Spirit prompts us to do the flesh will react negatively. The activities of the flesh are always in conflict with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When we have the desire to please God it’s not the flesh, it’s the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we make a practice of doing what God desires we become better at it.

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” — ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

‬‬When we humble ourselves, break ourselves down before God, combine our soberness with fasting and prayer , it makes our spirit atuned to God. Another example of when someone can be led to fast is when Jesus was led in the wilderness and fasted for forty days and forty nights.

“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” — ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:16-18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In the whole chapter Jesus talked about three things alms giving , fasting and prayer. He recommended that we do this practices with the right motives not for show. We don’t engage so men can notice us.

“Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” — ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus spoke of time when his disciples would engage fasting . It was an instruction to fast when he was no longer with them. We can fast when there is a corporate fast, when the Holy Spirit instructs is . When we become too comfortable with the flesh we should fast, when the flesh gains dominance it’s time to fast.

We should throw away all the religious junks that minimize the importance of fasting. We can see that Jesus emphasized the importance of fasting with the right intentions.

When Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights the devil attacked him. Some people think that you can only fast when you can get alone time and it’s not always true, we can still engage fasting within our routines but  reserve some energy to read , meditate and pray on what we are reading about. We see another example of fasting after Saul’s conversion.

“And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” — ‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

After a spiritual encounter you may lose appetite for other things and begin to seek God in fasting and prayer .We fast not to change God, but it is beneficial for our growth. Fasting changes us so we can conform to the standard and will of God. It’s not so much of the length of the fast because some fasting periods are just inspired by ambition. If we fast with our own ambition we waste our efforts. We must fast in humility and break down before God. The more we see our weakness the more we can call on God for help. Fasting is a time of sober reflection where we humble ourselves to align ourselves with God.

Fasting is a means to spirituality. We don’t fast to show off, it’s not proof of spirituality but it sets us up to be effective spiritually. If we have the wrong intentions and motivations for a fast we can attract the influence of demons. Fasting should never be done in isolation but alongside other spiritual exercises.

Fasting helps us to gain dominance over the flesh . The spirit gains superiority over the flesh when we fast. The flesh is humbled, crippled and loses the grip of control over us .

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” — ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:16-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we fast we starve the flesh of it’s desires but it is important to feed the spirit at the same time. When we starve the flesh we must feed the spirit . We feed the spirit by engaging  the spiritual exercises of reading the word of God, prayer and communion with the Holy Spirit. When we fast we can access tremendous power to enforce the kingdom of God. During fasting we can prevail over unclean spirits.

“And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” — ‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:28-29‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Take note because a lot of people have been deceived to think fasting is the key. Jesus said this kind comes out by fasting and prayer. Anyone who consistently engages fasting without effectively praying will not yield the results Christ spoke about. Some people engage in intense fasting period and they become so weak they can’t engage the word or prayer. If you can’t engage a dry fast for seven days it doesn’t mean you are not spiritual. We shouldn’t fast and also remain filthy spiritually , but rather we should engage the  fast that brings  forth the power of transformation which is done in combination with other spiritual exercises.

“Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” — ‭‭Acts‬ ‭6:2-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We should place more emphasis on the study of the word and prayer. Truly when we study the word of God we will stirred to pray. When we read the word we are stirred up to pray because the desire to be like God is stirred up with us. We are also able to receive more. revelations from the Lord and subdue stubborn situations to the will of God when we combine fasting with prayers , meditations and the study of the word of God.

This scripture explains to us the kind of fast that is acceptable to God:

“Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” — ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58:3-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we fast we lose the bands of wickedness, break every yoke and let the oppressed go free. If you are operating in unforgiveness , pray and let that person go . Unforgiveness will make you waste your fast. The fast that God is pleased with is one that lets the  oppressed go. When we operate in unforgiveness we are oppressing someone spiritually. We are agreeing with demons to hold that person down. It’s important to God that we  fast with the right heart and motivations.

How to fast?

1. Consecrate the fast to the Lord by asking him to help you . We pray and receive grace to fast effectively.

2. Read and meditate on the word of God, especially what stood out to you. Make the word of God your companion.

3. Eat healthily and avoid heavy foods that are hard to digest . An example is the Daniel fast where you restrict yourself from some foods

4. Keep hydrated and drink lots of water,

5. If you are on medication, do the kind of fast that will not hinder your health.

6. Don’t fast to hurt yourself , but fast so you can engage spiritually.

“But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.” — ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We are in those days where fasting has to become our way of life. We should engage fasting.

Challenge:

Pick on someone, fast and pray for them until you hear from God about that person.